Numeracy | What is numeracy? | Why is numeracy important?

Numeracy

Is numeracy just another way of saying ‘is good at their tables’ or ‘can add up and take away without a calculator’? Does being numerate exclude the use of a calculator?

The word numeracy is attributed to the following timeline:

1959 – (Crowther report) - Numeracy is defined as a word to represent the mirror image of literacy.
1982 – (Cockcroft report) - A numerate pupil is one who has the ability to cope confidently with the mathematical needs of adult life. There was an emphasis on the wider aspects of numeracy and not purely the skills of computation.
1995 (OED) – numerate means acquainted with the basic principles of Mathematics

What is numeracy?

Numeracy is defined as the ability to reason and to apply simple numerical concepts. The Oxford English Dictionary definition describes numeracy as “the ability to understand and work with numbers”

The National Numeracy website usees the OECD Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) definition:
“Mathematical literacy is an individual’s capacity to identify and understand the role that mathematics plays in the world, to make well-founded judgements and to use and engage with mathematics in ways that meet the needs of that individual’s life as a constructive, concerned and reflective citizen”.
Importantly, this description goes beyond mere computation or arithmetic – it includes essential skills such as solving problems, understanding and explaining the solutions, making decisions based on logical thinking and reasoning, and interpreting data, charts and diagrams

The old (and brilliant) DfES govenrment resource folder 'Framework for Teaching Mathematics' defined numeracy as:
"a proficiency which is developed mainly in mathematics but also in other subjects. It is more than an ability to do basic arithmetic. It involves developing confidence and competence with numbers and measures. It requires understanding of the number system, a repertoire of mathematical techniques, and an inclination and ability to solve quantitative or spatial problems in a range of contexts. Numeracy also demands understanding of the ways in which data are gathered by counting and measuring, and presented in graphs, diagrams, charts and tables".

Others define numeracy in terms of its purpose or its function: numeracy skills are those you need to do a job (for example, using spreadsheets, calculating invoices) or to be an engaged citizen (for example, making sense of statistics reported in the media).

Again the National Numeracy website expands on this, by giving specific examples of how numeracy might be utilised in everyday life:

being able to critically assess statistics used by advertisers or politicians;
being able to manage family budgets – credit cards, offers at supermarkets and so on;
being able to estimate – in all kinds of situations, e.g. journey speed, time and distance, roughly how much a bill will be or your expected bank balance at the end of the month.

This means that MATHEMATICS and NUMERACY have a strong overlap in definition with numeracy being a subset (but an important precursor to further study of algebra, geometry etc), of mathematics, but not solely constrained to mere numerical calculations. Perhaps a further elaboration would include the difference bewteen merely understanding that 8 times 7 is 56, and why 8 times 7 is 56. Having the ability to complete calculations is important, but understanding the context and meaning of calculations, diagrams, and statistical claims is vital for everyday interaction in society.

Numeracy | What is numeracy? | Why is numeracy important?

Why is numeracy important?

If you want to take a practical school approach then read the follow quote from the Ofsted inspection criteria:
"Inspectors will consider the impact of teaching and outcomes across the range of the school’s provision and will use the evidence they gather to inform the overall evaluation of pupils’ achievement, the quality of teaching, and the impact of leadership and management on raising standards. When making the key judgements, inspectors will give particular attention to the teaching of literacy, including reading, and mathematics."

I think more importantly is that being numerate is a key skill that enables young people to cope with the demands of employment, further study, and being a capable member of society. The Skills for Life Survey (2011) shows the direct link between levels of skills in numeracy and the impact on employment and earnings, amongst other socio-economic factors. For more details, visit the Research page, where this document can be downloaded.

Schools

Primary schools: In the summer of 2011, 20% of 11 year olds in England (110,000 pupils) left primary school without passing the mathematics test at the level expected of them, and 5% failed even to achieve the level expected of a seven year old.
GCSEs: In 2011, 42% of pupils in England failed to achieve an A*-C grade in GCSE mathematics.

As pupils progress from primary to post-primary, the percentage of pupils reaching the expected standard in literacy and numeracy declines:

at the end of primary school, more than one in six does not achieve the expected standard in literacy and numeracy;
by Key Stage 3, more than one in five does not achieve the expected standard in literacy and numeracy;
by GCSE, two in five fail to achieve the standards deemed necessary to progress to sixth form studies at school, further education, training, or step onto the employment ladder.

Employment and Earnings

The paper found numeracy skills have a strong impact on employment and earnings. Adults with Level 1 numeracy or above earn on average 26% more than adults with skills below this level
(Level 2 is equivalent to a GCSE A*-C in mathematics). Among men and women born in 1970, those with poor numeracy were more than twice as likely to be unemployedand were far less likely to receive work-related training, get a promotion or receive a rise.

Participation in a company pension scheme is less likely for men with poor numeracy, regardless of their literacy level.

Family Backgrounds

The Skills for Life (2011) paper compared the lives of 34-year-olds who have poor numeracy with those who have good numeracy. Those with poor numeracy were:

twice as likely to receive free school meals at age 10;
twice as likely to have had parents or carers who received unemployment or income support benefits;
much more likely to have parents with no qualifications;
half as likely to have parents who were very interested in their education;
half as likely to have parents who wanted them to stay at school beyond 16;
twice as likely to leave school at 16;
five times more likely to achieve no qualifications by age 34;
1/6 as likely to have a degree or its equivalent by age 34;
more than twice as likely to have had their first child while still in their teens;
nearly twice as likely to have three children by age 34, and three times as likely to have four children by that age.

The digital divide

Compared to 34-year-old men and women with good numeracy skills, those with poor skills have been found to be:

twice as likely to lack Internet access;
twice as likely to not have a computer at home;
more than twice as likely not to use a computer even when there is one in the home.

Health

Adults with poor numeracy are 2.5 times more likely to report having a longstanding illness or disability;
among 34-year-olds, men and women with poor numeracy are roughly twice as likely to report several symptoms of depression.

For women in particular, poor numeracy is an independent predictor of:

poor physical health;
depression;
a perceived lack of control over their lives.

Numeracy | What is numeracy? | Why is numeracy important?